Posted on 09/21/2011 7:51:46 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Pentagon to recommend Taiwan buy F-35B, AV-8B fighters: report
2011/09/21 20:48:32
Washington, Sept. 20 (CNA) A U.S. Defense Department study has concluded that Taiwan should buy short-takeoff and vertical-landing jets such as the British-designed AV-8B Harrier jump jet or the new F-35B vertical-takeoff jet, the Washington Times reported Monday.
The Pentagon will deliver the congressionally-mandated study on Taiwan's air power to Capitol Hill later this week, the newspaper said.
Citing U.S. officials familiar with military aircraft, the report said the Pentagon conclusion was based on anticipated mainland Chinese missile strikes against Taiwan's airfields with cratering munitions that would thwart takeoffs by F-16s and other fighter jets.
"A defense official said that conclusion appears skewed to support the administration's decision not to sell new F-16s by highlighting airstrip vulnerability," said the report.
As a matter of fact, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense already came up with a proposal during the George W. Bush administration to procure AV-8B Harrier jump jets.
Meanwhile, the Washington Times report said the Pentagon is bracing for some cutbacks in military and other cooperation efforts with China as a result of a new arms package for Taiwan.
The administration of President Barack Obama is expected to announce as early as Wednesday the sale of a package of equipment and weapons worth US$5.8 billion to upgrade Taiwan's F-16 A/B fighter fleet. In agreeing to the upgrade, the Obama adminsitration, however, will reject Taiwan's proposal to buy 66 new and more advanced F-16 C/Ds.
The Washington Times cited U.S. officials familiar with internal assessments of the arms sale in reporting that China will cut off several military exchanges with U.S. Pacific Command, cancel some high-level visits and end limited cooperation with Washington on arms proliferation.
However, the report said officials do not expect a complete break in military ties with Beijing.
"China does not want a major disruption in relations," said one official, who noted that Beijing's key priority is to avoid a spat with the United States as Communist leaders prepare for the transition from President Hu Jintao to Vice President Xi Jinping, set for the fall of 2012.
The Chinese military on its own, however, could undertake some reprisals, as it did in 2007 by blocking the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk from making a scheduled Thanksgiving Day port call to Hong Kong, the report said.
The study on Taiwan's air power was initiated by Republican Senator John Cornyn, who called for an amendment to the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act that required the Pentagon to come up with such a report within three months after the act took effect. The report came 19 months late. (By Tony Liao and Sofia Wu) enditem/ly
Ping.
The PRC and ROC grow closer by the day.
Bad idea to send F-35’s somewhere they might vote to become part of the People’s Republic any time.
In fact there was a headline right here the last few days, that the DPP leader is actually voicing tentative support for reunification... Rather shocking actually.
Let’s be sensible. Rather than surrender more secrets, how about we be (far) more aggressive about our own trade deficit with tariffs on China.
Bad idea. Let them buy F-16 c/d.
I agree.
Wait a minute..........if we don’t want to sell them advanced F-16 variants...........why in the Hell would we want to sell them even more advanced F-35s? Makes no damn sense.
AV-8Bs? They would have to come from Davis-Monthan graveyard parkers. Rebuilt units since the B hasn’t been in production in around 20 years.
We should reinforce the ROC’s resolve with the ultimate assurances and the latest and greatest we can give them. But, that’s not our current government’s policy, so.
We need to reinforce the Chinese Nationalist spirit in Taiwan but it appears our current government is expecting (nee, hoping for) their sojourn to mainland ChiCom influence. Taiwan, like Israel, are the most amazing and productive stalwart populations the U.S. has spent a half-century helping out...........that this current Admin is more than seemingly willing to toss-off for internal political correctness.
Damn ‘em.....
I’d prefer the F-16 Block 60+, not old Block 40s.
If I was the Taiwanese military I would focus on three areas, that they could probably pull off. First would be conventional mobile short range ballistic missiles, Enough to plaster the ports and airfields right across the straits. Second would be anti ship missiles. Nothing fancy, something that can be launched off a flatbed truck on a line of bearing. The Iranians are building a copy of the Chinese C-802. Something like that would be fine. The third thing would be a robust surface to air capability.
All of this has to be indigenously produced. It is obvious that all nations are bending to the whims of the red chinese so a foreign supplier is going to be useless in a pinch.
Pentagon thinks that if the SHTF in Taiwan, there won't be a functional airstrip in the whole country.
IOW, don't count on us for air cover...
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